Closure for pressure vessels



Jan. 26, 1943. w. F. KEENAN, JR

oLosURE FOR PRESSURE VE'ssELs Filed Nov. 9, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l am m6.T051 mk@ Yo 5 vk. ,T NNE l T Ks s M f m Y wa Jn. 26, 1943. w. F KEENAN,JR y 2,309,122

CLOSURE FOR PRESSURE VESSELS Filed Nov. 9, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 26, 1943 2,309,122 CLosURE FOR PRESSURE vEssELsWalter F. Keenan, Jr., deceased, late of Pelham Manor, N. Y., by Anne B.Henderson, executrx, Charleston, W. Va., assignor to Foster WheelerCorporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York ApplicationNovember 9, 1940, Serial No. 365,086

15 Claims.

This invention relates to closures for pressure vessels such as arecommonly employed in connection with vapor generators, superheaters, oil

. stills and the like, and to methods of and means for applying andremoving such closures.

The invention provides a hand hole closure which is particularly welladapted to withstand Vthe high pressures and temperatures now prevailingin the generation and superheating of vapors, is of relativelysimpleconstruction, and is capable of being readily assembled anddisassembled when desired. The invention also provides a method of, andmeans for, readily and easily applying the closure to the hand hole and'for removing it therefrom.

The nature of the invention will be apparent from the followingdescription when considered in connection with the accompanying drawingsforming a part thereof and in which:

Fig. 1 is a partial longitudinal elevational view of a header havingclosures embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged partial vertical sectional view of the headertaken on line 2A2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional Aview of the apparatus taken on line 3-3 of Fig.2;

Fig. 4 isa sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 'is a'. perspective view of one of the elements of the closure;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6 6 of Fig. '7, showing onemeans employed in assembling and inserting a closure rin a hand holeOpening;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 1-1 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a plan view showing means employed in the removal of a,closure from a hand hole opening;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. l is a transverse sectional view taken on line Ill-I0 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view showing other means employed in removing theclosure from an open.

ing, and l Fig. l2 is a sectional view showing the final steps beforeall the elements of the closure can be entirely removed.

Like characters of reference refer to the same or to similar partsthroughout the several views. Referring to the drawings, particularlyFigs. l to 5, reference character I0 designates genwall of the header tothe interior II thereof. Each hand hole opening is formed to provide anouter, generallycylindrical portion, an intermediate recessed portion,and an inner seat portion. The outer portion I2 has oppositely disposedrecesses I3 and I4 shaped to receive similarly shaped lugs `on theclosure. The intermediate portion has oppositely disposedarcuate groovesI and I6 which extend between the recesses I3- and I4 at their innerends as more clearly shown in Fig. 4. The seat portion of each hand holeopening has a circular upper portion and an inwardly flaring machinedseat portion I'I. The wall of the header is cut away around the innerend of the seat I1 to provide space which is useful in the insertion andremoval of the closure. An annular gasket I3 of suitable material linesthe inner seat portion of the hand hole openings.

The closure comprises a plug having a frustoconical head I9 and arelatively heavy threaded stem 20, and a yoke member 2 I The head of theplug has an overalldiameter slightly less than the diameter in thesmallest part of the inner' seat portion and of the entire hand holeopening, to permit the plug to be inserted in and removed from the handhole opening, excepting when gasket I8 is in place. The yoke member 2|is arranged tobe received in the outer and intererally a header in whichare a plurality of spaced s hand hole openings which extend through themediate portions of the hand hole opening, and is of cylindricalconfiguration generally, with oppositely disposed lugs 22 and 23projecting from the lower portion of the member which are received inthe recesses I3 and I4 respectively and thereafter in the arcuategrooves I5 and I6 respectively, when the yoke member is inserted in thehand hole opening and is rotated a quarter turn to the position shown inFigs. 1 to 4. The upper or outer end portion of the yoke member 2I isprovided with diametrically opposed cutaway portions substantially atright angles to the projections 22 and 23, which provide flattened sides24 and 25. The axial length of the yoke member 2| is such that the outerperipheral portion of the inner end is spaced from the upper end of thegasket I8 after it has been positioned finally on the plug seat, and theouter end projects somewhat beyond the outer cylindrical surface of theheader and the attened portions 24 and 25 cooperate with similarlyshaped apertures in a locking plate 26 which prevents rotation of theyoke member after the latter has been finally positioned in the handhole opening.

The locking plate 26 as shown, is shaped to conform with the normaltransverse curvature of the outer header wall and is removably securedto the header, and ordinarily serves as locking means for a plurality ofclosures and may be of any desired length. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2,the locking plate is provided with apertures 21 shaped to receive theouter end portions of yokes 2I and has an aperture 29 in each endportion throughwhich extends a lug 30 welded tovthe header. Each lug 30has a slot 3| therein which is shaped to receive a Wedge 32 to removablysecure the plate 26 in locking position. When the locking plate issecured in position on the header, the assembled hand hole closure isnally secured and made pressure tight by a nut 28 threaded on the stemof the plug.

Figs. 6 and 7 show one method of, and means for, installing the gasketI8 and the plug in a hand hole opening. An installing tool is utilizedwhich has a generally cylindrical body portion 33 dimensioned to fitfreely in the outer portion of a hand hole opening, and a relativelylong handle 34. The lower part of the body portion 33 of the tool is4provided with diametrically opposed lugs 35 and 36 which are shaped andtheir upper surfaces are bevelled so that the lugs will pass into andout of the recesses I3 and I4 and the arcuate -slots I and I6 and willengage the upper and lower walls of the slots to provide good frictionalcontact therewith. In assembling the closure, the annular gasket I 8which origin-ally is cylindrical with an outer diameter which isslightly smaller than the smallest diameter of the inner seat portion ofthe hand hole opening, is placed over the plug stem with the inner edgeof the gasket resting on the plug head I9 as shown in dotted lines inFig. 6. The installing tool then is placed over the plug stem with theinner end of the tool resting on the outer edge of the gasket. The nut28 is then threaded on the end of the plug stem and made hand-tightagainst the adjacent end of the tool. This assembly is placed in thehand hole opening with the plug head I9 and the gasket I8 in theposition indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6, with the lugs and 36 atthe bottom of the recesses I3 and I4 respectively, and in alignment withthe -arcuate slots I5 and I6 respectively. By means of handle 34, thetool is turned clockwise as viewed in Fig. 7 to force the lugs 35 and 36into the slots I5 and I6 in the wall 0f the opening thereby to provide abearing surface lfor the installing tool in the vessel. Up to thispoint, it will be understood that the gasket has not been expand'- edagainst the plug seat. Nut 28 is now turned up against the outer end ofthe tool, using adeduate4 force to expand, or to deform, the gasketagainst the seat portion Il of the hand hole so that the plug will beseated properly. 'Ihe axial length o the body portion 33 of the tool issuch that the gasket I8 will be confined to a position wherein the upperend of the gasket preferably will be spaced from the lower outerperipheral portion of the yoke, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3. Thereafter,nut 28 is removed and the tool is Withdrawn from the hand hole withoutmovement of the plug. Yoke 2| is placed on the plug stem with the lugs22 and 23 in alignment with the recesses I3 and I4-respectively. Theyoke is then inserted in the hand hole until the lugs 22 and 23 are inalignment with the arcuate slots I5 and I 6 respectively, and-is given aquarter turn to secure the yoke in position. Y The locking plate 26 isplaced in position With the outer ends of the yokes 2l in the aperturesin the plate, the locking plate is secured to the header by insertion ofthe wedges 32 in the slots 3l and the nut 28 is turned up tightlyagainst the yoke member.

Figs. 8 to 12 of the drawings show one means employed, and a method tobe followed, when it is desired to remove a closure from a hand hole.After removing the nut 28, the locking plate 26, and the yoke 2l, acylindrical crimping tool 31, arranged to be placed on the stem of theplug and to t freely in the outer portion of the hand hole, and having acrimping surface 38 on its inner end which is shaped to crimp about halfof the annular upper end portion of the gasket I8, the right hand halfas shown in Fig. 10, is placed in the hand hole opening over the gasketas shown in Fig. 9. The nut 28 is threaded on the stem of the plug andis tightened against the outer end of the tool 31 until the outer edge39 of the gasket is well crimped as indicated in Figs. 9 and 10. Thecrimping tool is removed from the plug and the plug is driven inwardlyinto the header. By utilizing a special cutting tool 40, a plurality ofspaced slots are cut in the inner periphery of the gasket as indicatedin Fig. ll. Ordinarily three such slots will sufce, one to be cut on thecenter line of the recess I3 or I4 and one about one-half inch on eachside of the first slot. The blade of the cutting tool 40 is constructedand is used preferably, so that t-hese slots may be cut deeply in thegasket without cutting entirely through the gasket whereby injury to theplug seat will be avoided. Use is then made of a gasket removing tool 4Ihaving a hooked end 42 and a pointed end 43. With the hooked end 42, theentire inner end portion of the gasket is crimped inwardly about aneighth of an inch starting prefer-ably at a point opposite the slots.Thereafter the hooked end 42 of the removing tool 4I is placed under thecenter slot and the tool is moved to cause the inner portion of thisslotted section of the gasket to fold inwardly. The pointed end 43 ofthe tool III is then used in the manner indicated in Fig. 12, to pry theouter end portion of the gasket radially inwardly, after which thegasket can be removed from the hand hole opening. With the gasketremoved, the plug can readily be removed from the hand hole.

From the foregoing, it will be evident that closures embodying theinvention are rugged, and are capable of withstanding'very highpressures. The closure is also safe, because if the gasket is shearedthrough `by the plug as a result of excessive pressure, the plug and theother parts of the closure will not be ejected from the header or otherpressure vessel, due to the manner in which the yoke cooperates with thewall of the header and to the restraining effect of the locking plate.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosedherein, it is to be understood that changes may -be made in theparticular form and arrangement of the parts described Without departingfrom the principles of the invention, which is not to be limitedexcepting by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a vessel having an opening provided with an inner seat portion andan outer yoke member receiving portion, a closure for the openingcomprising a plug having a head and a stem, the head beingadapted to bedisposed in the seat portion of the opening with the stem extendingoutwardly of the opening,I a yoke member arranged to receive the stem ofthe plug and being adapted to be disposed in the outer portion of theopening, the yoke member having means cooperablewith the vessel tosecure the member in position in the opening, means acting on the plugstem and the yoke to apply pressure on the plug head to retain it inposiplug and being adapted to be disposed in the outer portion of theopening, the yoke member having means cooperable with the vessel andconstructed and arranged to secure the member in position in theopening, means acting, onl

the plug stem and the yoke to apply pressure on the plug head to retainit in position in the seat portion of the opening, and means to preventrotary movement of the yoke member to lock the member in position in theopening.

3. In a vessel having an opening provided with an inner seat portion andan outer yoke member receiving portion, a closure for the openingcomprising a plug having a head and a stem, the headv being adapted tobe disposed in the seat portion of the opening with the stem extendingoutwardly of the opening, a yoke member arranged to receive the stem ofthe4 plug and being adapted to be disposed in the outer portion of theopening, the yoke member having means cooperable with the vessel andconstructed and arranged to secure the member in position in the openingupon rotary movement of the member in the opening, means cooperable withthe plug stem and the yoke to retain the plug head in position in theseat portion of the opening, and a locking plate cooperable with theyoke member and secured to the vessel to prevent rotation of theyokemember.

4. In a vessel having an opening provided with an inner seat portion andan outer yoke member receiving portion, a closure for the openingcomprising a plug having a head and a. stem, the head being adapted tobe disposed in the seat portion of the opening with rthe stem extendingoutwardly of the opening, a yoke member arranged to receive the'stem ofthe plug and being adapted to be disposed in the outer portion of theopening, the yoke member having means cooperable with the vessel andconstructed and arranged to secure the member in position in the openingupon rotary movement of the member in the opening, means cooperable withthe plug stem and the yoke to retain the plug head in position in theseat portion of the opening, the yoke member extending beyond the outerwall of the vessel in the region adjacent the opening, and a lockingplate cooperable with the outer portion of the yoke member and securedto the vessel to prevent robeing adapted to be disposed in the outerportion of the opening, the yoke member having an outwardly extendingportion,v the vessel having a recess communicating with the opening toreceive the outwardly extending portion of the yoke member when themember is inserted into the opening, and a slot communicating with therecess to receive said outwardly extending portion upon rotary movementof the member in the opening to secure the member in the opening, meansacting on the plug stem and the yoke to apply pressure on the plug headto retain it in position in the seat portion of the opening, and meansto prevent rotary movement of the yoke member after the outwardlyextending portion has been moved into said slot.

6. In a vessel having an opening provided with an inner seat portion andan outer yoke member receiving portion, a closure for the openingcomprising a plug having a head anda stem, the head being adapted to bedisposed in the seat portion of the opening with the stem extendingoutwardly of the opening, a yoke member arranged to receive the stem ofthe plug and being adapted to be disposed in the outer portion of theopening, the yoke member having an outwardly extending portion, thevessel having a recess communicating with the opening to receive theoutwardly extending portion of the yoke member when the member isinserted into the opening, and a slot communicating with the recess toreceive said outwardly extending portion upon rotary movement of themember in the opening to secure the member in the opening, meanscooperable with the plug stem and the yoke to retain the plug head inposition in the seat portion of the opening, the outer end portion ofthe yoke member extending beyond the outer wall of the Vessel in theregion adjacent the opening and having a non-circular configuration intransverse cross-section, a locking plate havy ingr an opening shaped toreceive thea-outer end portion of the yoke member and cooperating withthe member to prevent rotary movement of the yoke 'member after theoutwardly extending portion has been moved into said slot,

, the seat portion of the opening to permit the plug to be inserted inand withdrawn from the opening with the axis of the plug substantiallyp-arallel to the axis of the opening, a gasket adapted to be disposedbetween said seat portion and the plug head and of a thickness suicien'tto seat the plug head in the seat portion of the opening, a yoke memberarranged to receive the stem of the plug and being adapted to bedisposed in the outer portion of the opening, the yoke member havingmeans cooperable with the vessel to secure the member in position in theopening, l,means acting on the plug stem and the yoke to apply pressureon the plug head to retain it in position in the seat portion of theopening, and locking means for the yoke member.

8. In a vessel having an opening provided with an inner seat portion andan outer yoke member receiving portion, a closure for the openingcomprising a plug having a head and a stem, the head being adapted to bedisposed in the seat portion o! the opening with the stem extendingoutwardly of the opening, the overall dimension of the plug head beingless than the smallest dimension of the seat portion of the opening topermit the plug to be inserted in and withdrawn from the opening withthe axis of the plug substantially parallel to the axis of the opening,a gasket adapted-to be disposed between said seat portion and the plughead and of a thickness suiiicient to seat the plug head in the seatportion of the opening, a yoke member arranged to receive the stem ofthe plug and being adapted to be disposed in the outer portion of theopening, the yoke member having means cooperable with the vessel andconstructed and arranged to secure the member in position in the openingupon rotary movement of the member in the opening, means acting on theplug stem and the yoke to apply pressure on the plug head to retain itin position in the seat portion of the opening, and means to preventrotary movement of the yoke member to lock the member in position in theopening.

9. In a vessel having: an opening provided with an inner seat portionand an outer yoke member receiving portion, a closure for the openingcomprising a plug having a head and a stem, the head being adapted to bedisposed in the seat portion of the opening with the stem extendingoutwardly of the opening, the overall dimension of the plug head beingless than the smallest dimension of the seat portion of the opening topermit the plug to be inserted in and withdrawn from the opening withthe axis of the plug substantially parallel to the axis of the opening,a gasket adapted to be disposed between said seat portion and the plughead and of a thickness sufficient to seat the plug head in the seatportion of the opening, a yoke member arranged to receive the stem ofthe plug and being adapted to be disposed in the outer portion of theopening, the yoke member having an outwardly extending portion, thevessel having a recess communicating with the opening to receive theoutwardly extending portion of the yoke member when the member isinserted into the opening, and a slot communicating with the recess toreceive said outwardly extending portion upon rotary movement ofthemember the opening to secure the member in the opening, means acting onthe plug stem and the yoke to apply pressure on the plug head to retainit imposition in the seat portion of the opening, and means to preventrotary movement ofA the yoke member after the outwardly extendingportion has been moved into said slot.

10. In a vessel having an opening provided with an inner seat portionand an outer yoke member receiving portion, a closure for the openingcomprising a plug having a head and a stem, the head being adapted to bedisposed in the seat portion of the opening with the stem extendingoutwardly of the opening, the overall dimension of the plug head beingless than the smallest dimension oi' the seat portion of the opening topermit the plug to be inserted in and withdrawn from the opening withthe axis of the plug substantially parallel to the axis of the opening,a gasket adapted to be disposed between said seat portion and the plughead and of a thickness suiiicient to seat the plug head in the seatportion of the opening, a yoke member arranged to received the stem ofthe plug 'and' being adapted to be disposed in the outer an outwardlyextending portion, the vessel having a recess communicating with theopening to receive the outwardly extending portion of the yoke memberwhen the-member is inserted into the opening, and a slot communicatingwith the recess to receive said outwardly extending portion upon rotarymovement of the member in the opening to secure the member in theopening, means cooperable with the plug stem and the yoke to retain theplug head in position in the seat portion of the opening, the outer endportion of Y the yoke member extending beyond the outer wall of thevessel in the region adjacent the opening and having a non-circularconfiguration in transverse cross-section, a locking plate having anopening shaped to receive the outer end portion of the yoke member andcooperating with the member to prevent rotary movement of the yokemember after the outwardly extending portion has been moved into saidslot, and means for securing the locking plate to the vessel.

1l. In a vessel having an opening provided with an inner seat portionand an outer yoke member receiving portion, a closure for the openingcomprising a plug having a head and a stem, the head being adapted to bedisposed in the seat portion of the opening with the stem extendingoutwardly of the opening, a yoke member arranged to receive the stem ofthe plug and being adapted to be disposed in the outer portion of theopening, the yoke member having means cooperable with the vessel tosecure the member in position in the opening, means cooperable with theplug stem and the yoke to retain the plug head in position in the seatportion of the opening, and a locking plate cooperable with the yokemember and secured to the vessel to prevent rotation of the yoke member.

12. In a vessel having an opening provided with an inner seat portionand an outer yoke member receiving portion, a closure for the openingcomprising a plug having a head and a stem, the head being adapted to bedisposed in the seat portion of the opening with the stem extendingoutwardly of the opening, a yoke member arranged to receive the stem ofthe plug and being adapted to be disposed in the outer portion of theopening, the yoke member having means cooperable with the vessel tosecure the member in position in the opening, means cooperable with theplug stem and the yoke to retain the plug head in position in the seatportion of the opening, the outer end portion of the yoke memberextending beyond the outer wall of the vessel in the region adjacent theopening and having a non-circular conguration in transversecrosssection, a locking plate having an opening shaped to receive theouter end portion of the yoke member and cooperating with the member toprevent rotary movement of the yoke member after the member has beensecured in position in the opening, and means for securing the lockingplate to the vessel.

13. In a vessel having an opening provided with an inner seat portionand an outer yoke member receiving portion, a closure for the openingcomprising a plug having a head and a stem, the head being adapted to bedisposed in the seat portion of the opening with the stern extendingoutwardly of the opening, a yoke member arranged to receive the stem ofthe plug and being adapted to be disposed in the outer portion of theopening, the yoke member having an outwardly extending portion, thevessel having a recess communicating with the opening to receive theoutwardly extending portion of the yoke member whenthe memberis insertedinto the opening, and a slot communicating with the recess to receivesaid outwardly extending portion upon rotary movement of the member` inthe opening to secure the member in the opening, means cooperable withthe plug stem and the yoke to retain the plug head in position in theseat portion of the opening, and a locking plate cooperable with theyoke member and secured to the vessel to prevent rotation of the yokemember.

14. In a vessel having an opening provided with an inner seat portionand an outer yoke member receiving portion, a closure for the openingcomprisinga plug having a head and a stem, the head being adapted to bedisposed in the seat portion of the opening withthe stem extendingoutwardly of the opening, the over-all dimension of the plug head beingless than the smallest dimension of the seat portion of the opening topermit the plug to be inserted in and withdrawn from the opening withthe axis of the plug substantially parallel to the axis of the opening,a gasket adapted to be disposed between said seat portion and the plughead and of a thickness suiiicient to seat the plug head in the seatportion of the opening, a yoke member arranged to receive the stem ofthe plug and being adapted to be disposed in the outer portion of theopening, the yoke member having means cooperable with the vessel tosecure the member in position in the opening, means cooperable with theplug stem and the yoke to retain the plug head inA position in the seatportion of the opening, and a locking plate cooperable with the yokemember and secured to the Vessel to prevent rotation of the yoke member.

15. In a vessel having an opening provided with an inner seat portionand an outer yoke member receiving portion, a closure for the openingcomprising a plug having a head and a stem, the head being adapted to bedisposed in the seat portion of the opening with the stem extendingoutwardly of the opening, the over-al1 dimension of the plug head beingless than the smallest dimension of the seat portion of-the opening topermit the plug to be inserted in and withdrawn from the opening withthe axis of the plug substantially parallel toV the axis 0f the opening,a gasket adapted to be disposed between said seat portion and the plughead and of a thickness sufficient to seat the plughead in the seatportion of the opening, a'yoke member arranged to receive the stem 'ofthe plug and being adapted to'be disposed in the outer portion of theopening, the yoke member having means cooperable with the vessel tosecure the member in position in the opening, means cooperable with theplug stem and the yoke to retain the plug head in position in the seatportionlof the opening, the outer end portion of the yoke memberextending beyond the outer wall -of the vessel in the region adjacentthe opening and having a non-circular conguration in transverse.crosssection, a locking plate having an opening shaped to receive theouter end portion of the yoke member and cooperating with the member toprevent rotary movement of the yoke member after the member has beensecured in posi-tion in the opening, and means for securing the lockingplate to the vessel.

ANNE B. HENDERSON, Eecutri of the Estate of Walter F. Keenan,

Jr., Deceased.

